The invisibility of mental illness

August 25, 2016

Because sometimes it’s good to know why people do horrible things.

The world is a horrible place and everyone is a mixture of unrelentingly horrible, cruel or cynical. Those who aren’t are hopelessly nieve and are preyed upon by the first group of feckless individuals. And then there is the third group, who are ‘just mad or evil’*.

So now the preliminaries are out of the way and the two extremist viewpoints are defined, lined up in opposition like armies on a battlefield, let’s talk about the small town that will be crushed between them. Full of the rest of us.

I can only speak for myself, but I think a good selection of us know that no matter how much Martin from accounting may seem like an evil bastard, we know he isn’t inherently evil. He’s just some fuck with an obsession with numbers and Dolly Parton that manifests itself in ways that jive with you.

And so it is with most people. Whilst some are genuinely just malicious most just have an underlying issue, be it one of health, environment or circumstance. Now it doesn’t always matter a skerrick if that is the case, nor are you indebted to try and find out if Martin is a prick** because of some deepseated fear of women.

Which brings us to this lovely comment

Now I don’t know about this case much. It seems most people don’t and the media is doing its best to just make it up because, damn journalistic integrity today. But it would just like to add this; if this person’s actions were down to poor mental health that was never diagnosed, how could anyone know? Many with health issues never display them openly, or can pass convincingly for a while. Close family rarely pick up on it, other than after the fact saying ‘there was always something odd’ to try and absolve themselves.

Does it matter why he did this? Yes. Does it matter in the end? Perhaps. Is he an arsehole? Probably.

But the media jumping to conclusions to paint another person who does a horrific act as “another one of those nutters” doesn’t help anyone. Neither does the bleating of the peanut gallery.

Of which I’m one of them I guess.

Now let me tell you more about that dickhead Martin.

*I think sociopath is back in as the sexy term for them. All thanks to the new showrunner of Star Trek.

** At this point I have to say #NotAllMartins. If only because I have am uncle with that name. Who isn’t a prick. But the Martin bringing the rest of you all down? You know who you are.